Op-ed by state senator Jen McEwen, includes “The latest budget forecast from the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget projects a positive budget balance of $1.6 billion in the upcoming biennium, thanks largely to an improved U.S. economic outlook strengthened by federal aid. … with an anticipated budget surplus, we can indeed afford to support working families, ensure that no one is left behind, and build now toward a better future. … Capital investment, or bonding, is another tool the state has to support workers, strengthen our public institutions, and revitalize our economy.”